Chapter 20

Chapter 20

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 20: Overnight Lodging (1)

Red Mist and respiratory damage warning.

The latter probably won’t just mean a simple coughing, considering how things have been going in this world.

‘Even lungs might corrode.’

The initiation of overnight lodging services came with weather alerts, essentially prompting the use of these lodgings.

“Should we go to a motel?”

“...What?”

“To use the lodging.”

“There are plenty of other places nearby, though?”

As Yechan pointed out, the surrounding area was scattered with ‘residential’ buildings.

Behind the mart from earlier, there were tightly packed neighborhoods and apartments.

However, according to Yeongwoo’s perspective, these residential areas had a fatal flaw.

“There is a high probability that the owners will return. Those places were originally inhabited by someone.”

“Right? Oh, I see...”

Yechan belatedly understood Yeongwoo’s argument.

“That’s true. Regular homes likely had people living in them...”

“Motels have owners too, but not every room is occupied by them. There might be vacant rooms.”

Of course, that would be if they hurried there.

“But even if all the rooms are full, it won’t be a problem for you, Mister? Since everyone would want to stay the Strongest Sword.”

Upon this, Yeongwoo shook his head.

“I’ll decline that offer. Even if it starts with good intentions, seeing the Strongest Sword asleep might bring out unexpected feelings.”

“That’s... yeah, that could happen.”

While Yechan understood Yeongwoo’s words, he found him to be quite peculiar.

He was someone who would distribute money to everyone, even in front of mutants, starting with the kids.

Yet, he held such distrust for people... It was impossible to gauge what was truly on his mind.

「Two hours until the [Abnormal Weather] Red Mist forms.」

Soon enough, a climate notification appeared along with a timer at the top of their field of view.

Tick-tock!

「01:59:58」

‘Two hours? So, the abnormal weather starts around 11 at night.’

Considering that the majority of people were crowding stores and convenience shops to get food, it wasn’t ample time at all. In truth, Yeongwoo and Yechan weren’t at ease either.

“Do you happen to know where a motel is around here?”

“I-I don’t know... Shouldn’t you, Mister?”

“Just because I’m an adult, am I supposed to know everything?”

As Yeongwoo argued this, he finally realized something.

He had never been to a motel in Gumi even once.

“Let’s just follow this main road for now. If we can’t find any, we’ll have to go back towards the station or just enter any house.”

Their current location was in Bisandong, quite a distance northeast from Gumi Station.

It was an entirely unfamiliar neighborhood for Yeongwoo, who rarely ventured beyond the dormitory.

Creak, click.

They cycled along the main road for about ten minutes, searching.

Finally, Yeongwoo spotted a family ahead, causing him to slow down.

“Excuse me! Can we ask for directions?”

Upon which, the woman at the front raised her axe threateningly in her right hand.

The two men carrying a sack on their bikes had appeared rather odd.

Soon, they recognized Yeongwoo’s title and their eyes widened.

“Wait, aren’t you Jung Yeongwoo-nim?”

As the woman spoke, her husband and children behind her began rummaging through their pockets.

Probably trying to pull out those commemorative coins again.

“Yes... Do you live around here? We’re looking for a motel.”

“A motel? There might be one around... I’m not exactly sure of the exact location, though.”

The woman looked like she wasn’t sure about the exact location.

“In that case, we’ll have to keep searching for now.”

As Yeongwoo made a brief farewell and attempted to pedal again, a hand waved from the husband’s side.

“If you follow that road up ahead, there should be a motel on the left named Riverside Motel. It’s nestled between buildings, so you’ll have to look closely.”

“Ah, thank you.”

As Yeongwoo nodded his thanks, the woman smiled and glanced at her husband.

“You’re really good with directions.”

“Oh, that’s... ”

Before the husband could finish his sentence, Yeongwoo pedaled away.

* * *

Riverside Motel.

Although not exactly by a river as its name suggested, it was indeed wedged between large buildings, making it hard to find.

He was indeed a high-level human.

“And your occupation?”

“Uh... I don’t have one, anything like that.”

“So, unemployed? Then what about your parents?”

Upon Yeongwoo’s inquiry, the expression on the young man, who had been in despair until then, suddenly changed.

It was as if he had become an entirely different person.

“You guys killed them.”

“What?”

“You killed them! You damn vultures...!”

It was more than just expressing malice; the rage and sorrow were so intense it seemed to make the air around them boil.

Perhaps the young man’s parents were also high-level humans, and judging by his extreme reaction, they might have been targeted and eliminated by public vote.

“Now you’re trying to act innocent? Just kill me too!”

The young man seemed to have lost control entirely.

But regardless what happened to his family life due to the reset, the fact remained that he intended to kill anyone entering the motel.

“...”

Seeing that further conversation was futile, Yeongwoo followed the young man’s orders and swung his Early Bird.

Fssh!

In a blink, a red streak crossed the young man’s throat, and soon, the head fell with a sickening thud, the severed neck emitting a gushing sound.

Witnessing it all, Yechan’s face turned pale.

“...”

As a high school student, this sight was too brutal and bizarre for him to comprehend.

To think a person he considered a colleague would resort to torturing for information, and that the tortured individual’s parents had been erased by the public...

It was a moment when he realized that he was living in a much more terrifying world than he had thought.

“Is... is this really happening?”

As Yechan spoke, staring at the head lying lifelessly, Yeongwoo raised an eyebrow and asked.

“What? Just because I didn’t kill him right away?”

It was purely Yechan’s uncertainty about what he was troubled by that led to his words.

Hence, Yechan found himself at a loss for words. In truth, he didn’t precisely know what was making him fearful and anxious.

Whether it was due to Yeongwoo gradually becoming inhuman or if the world itself was the issue.

“...No.”

Yechan shook his head, gesturing to continue on their way.

So, with an uneasy expression, Yeongwoo moved, leaving the severed head behind.

「01:16:32」

According to the mist timer at the top of their field of vision, they had roughly an hour left.

If there were no rooms available in the motel or if there were other issues preventing them from staying there, they’d have to pedal their bicycles again to find another place to stay.

‘Of course, if both options fail, we might have to end up entering a room someone else rented and get our throats slit in the middle of the night.’

Yeongwoo and Yechan crossed the lobby, avoiding the young man’s blood that had already reached their feet.

Thud.

All the lights were off, so they carefully walked up the dark stairs.

But for some reason, a faint blue light seeped from above, gradually illuminating their surroundings with each step upward.

“...What is it this time?”

“I don’t know. I doubt any monsters will show up again at this point.”

Yeongwoo tightly held the Early Bird in his right hand and steadily moved his gaze upward.

Eventually,

Click!

Both of them reached the second floor of the motel, and soon, they discovered the source of the bluish light.

It was none other than the room entrance doors emitting a subtle glow.

“...”

It was a surreal scene, but Yeongwoo, mindful of the limited time, walked towards the room at the end of the corridor.

Yeongwoo chose room 208.

Approaching it, the frame of the door, previously shining blue, intensified in color.

Subsequently, its unique interface appeared.

「Would you like to use the Lodging Service?」

[Riverside Motel Room 208]

|Space: Compact

|Facilities: Bathroom

|Lodging fee: 3,000 Karma

|Duration: Until 10 a.m tomorrow.

「How many people are planning to stay? Please enter the number of occupants.」

Next, a sort of holographic keypad appeared.

“...”

After a moment’s thought, Yeongwoo reached out his hand.

「2」

[Translator – Peptobismol]